New York's New Approach
By JAMES TRAUB - NEW YORK TIME
Just read it but if I wait to post a carefully thought out response, none will get done. So here are immediate thoughts.
1. Traub's one sided pedagogical conservatism moves the piece from a good analysis toward an attack. It's not quite that but close. For instance, only the traditional curriculums are "research based". No doubt there is research on the other and there is strong debate about them. Traub simply presents one side of the argument, as if it were the only side. At the university level, Traub is well known for that kind of piece. I'm sorry to see him repeat the same thing here.
2. He, as do most "traditionalists" at levels I know something about, picture education in either/or terms. Either the basics or sloppy is the usual formulation. That's not only not helpful, it's harmful. Any good teacher knows that students need basics and students need to learn in ways that teach them how to learn and to enjoy learning. Lots of time these are not in conflict. And, the degree and kinds of each vary enormously depending on level of education, topic, background of students, etc. Traub's either/or approach, I suspect, mutes the degree to which the actual practices recommended and practices practiced respect these diversities. Teachers simply have to do that.
3. There is an interesting contradiction. He presents the argument as if all the recent research is on the side of the traditionalists. In fact, none on the progressive side. But then notes that the younger generation of teachers are more comfortable with progressive curriculums. Since teaching programs, however badly done most are, pay attention to research, in fact, have to because their faculty has to do such, there is an obvious contradiction here.
4. My guess is that Traub's piece, which is obviously meant to alter Klein's plans, not only will not have that effect but, thanks to its onesidedness, is more likely to have the opposite effect. To get people to dig their heels in.
5. I actually think there is much to be said for Klein's observation that the quality of teachers is more important than the curriculum. The wonderful innovation I know about in the NYC k-12 public school system has occured in schools in which teachers have organized the curriculum, sometimes in strong opposition to the central bureaucracy.
Them's my thoughts. |
